Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2020 to Question 25141, on Sports Competitors: Visas, if she will publish the list of recognised sports governing bodies.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The list of Sports Governing Bodies is already available online at Appendix M of the Immigration Rules: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-m-sports-governing-bodies.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with representatives of (a) the Scottish Football Association, (b) Scottish Women's Football and (c) the Scottish Women's Premier League since 1 January 2019 on the effect of Tier 4 visa regulations on football in Scotland.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Tier 4 visas have restrictions imposed regarding what work can be undertaken during the period leave. One of the conditions of holding a Tier 4 visa is that students must not engage in Professional sport.
The definitions of amateur and professional sports persons contained in the immigration rules were established following full consultation with all our Sports Governing Bodies, including the Scottish Football Association, the representative body for football in Scotland. The Home Office routinely engages with our Sports Governing Bodies and other governmental departments regarding the immigration requirements for professional sport.
The immigration system makes specific provision for professional sportspersons to come to the UK. These provisions seek to strike a balance between enabling UK sports teams to access top class international talent and protecting development opportunities for home grown sportspersons. The minimum standards for each sport are set by our Sports Governing Bodies, in agreement with the Home Office. It is right professional sportspersons below this standard should not be able to pursue such a career in the UK using our employment or study visa routes – including Tier 4.
Genuinely amateur players are already completely free to play sport on a purely amateur basis, whilst they are in the UK.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions officials in her Department have had with (a) the Scottish Football Association, (b) Scottish Women's Football and (c) the Scottish Women's Premier League on (i) the definition of sportsperson in the Tier 4 visa regulations and (ii) the effect of those regulations on participation in football in Scotland.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Tier 4 visas have restrictions imposed regarding what work can be undertaken during the period leave. One of the conditions of holding a Tier 4 visa is that students must not engage in Professional sport.
The definitions of amateur and professional sports persons contained in the immigration rules were established following full consultation with all our Sports Governing Bodies, including the Scottish Football Association, the representative body for football in Scotland. The Home Office routinely engages with our Sports Governing Bodies and other governmental departments regarding the immigration requirements for professional sport.
The immigration system makes specific provision for professional sportspersons to come to the UK. These provisions seek to strike a balance between enabling UK sports teams to access top class international talent and protecting development opportunities for home grown sportspersons. The minimum standards for each sport are set by our Sports Governing Bodies, in agreement with the Home Office. It is right professional sportspersons below this standard should not be able to pursue such a career in the UK using our employment or study visa routes – including Tier 4.
Genuinely amateur players are already completely free to play sport on a purely amateur basis, whilst they are in the UK.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of amendments to Tier 4 visa regulations in respect of the definition of sportsperson on the number of (a) players and (b) clubs within the (i) Scottish Football Association, (ii) Football Association of Wales, (iii) Football Association of England and (iv) Irish Football Association.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Tier 4 visas have restrictions imposed regarding what work can be undertaken during the period leave. One of the conditions of holding a Tier 4 visa is that students must not engage in Professional sport.
The definitions of amateur and professional sports persons contained in the immigration rules were established following full consultation with all our Sports Governing Bodies, including the Scottish Football Association, the representative body for football in Scotland. The Home Office routinely engages with our Sports Governing Bodies and other governmental departments regarding the immigration requirements for professional sport.
The immigration system makes specific provision for professional sportspersons to come to the UK. These provisions seek to strike a balance between enabling UK sports teams to access top class international talent and protecting development opportunities for home grown sportspersons. The minimum standards for each sport are set by our Sports Governing Bodies, in agreement with the Home Office. It is right professional sportspersons below this standard should not be able to pursue such a career in the UK using our employment or study visa routes – including Tier 4.
Genuinely amateur players are already completely free to play sport on a purely amateur basis, whilst they are in the UK.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with (a) the Scottish Government, (b) the Welsh Government, (c) the Northern Ireland Executive on the effect of Tier 4 visa regulations on participation rates in sport.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Tier 4 visas have restrictions imposed regarding what work can be undertaken during the period leave. One of the conditions of holding a Tier 4 visa is that students must not engage in Professional sport.
The definitions of amateur and professional sports persons contained in the immigration rules were established following full consultation with all our Sports Governing Bodies, including the Scottish Football Association, the representative body for football in Scotland. The Home Office routinely engages with our Sports Governing Bodies and other governmental departments regarding the immigration requirements for professional sport.
The immigration system makes specific provision for professional sportspersons to come to the UK. These provisions seek to strike a balance between enabling UK sports teams to access top class international talent and protecting development opportunities for home grown sportspersons. The minimum standards for each sport are set by our Sports Governing Bodies, in agreement with the Home Office. It is right professional sportspersons below this standard should not be able to pursue such a career in the UK using our employment or study visa routes – including Tier 4.
Genuinely amateur players are already completely free to play sport on a purely amateur basis, whilst they are in the UK.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the applicability of Tier 4 visa regulations to amateur sports.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Tier 4 visas have restrictions imposed regarding what work can be undertaken during the period leave. One of the conditions of holding a Tier 4 visa is that students must not engage in Professional sport.
The definitions of amateur and professional sports persons contained in the immigration rules were established following full consultation with all our Sports Governing Bodies, including the Scottish Football Association, the representative body for football in Scotland. The Home Office routinely engages with our Sports Governing Bodies and other governmental departments regarding the immigration requirements for professional sport.
The immigration system makes specific provision for professional sportspersons to come to the UK. These provisions seek to strike a balance between enabling UK sports teams to access top class international talent and protecting development opportunities for home grown sportspersons. The minimum standards for each sport are set by our Sports Governing Bodies, in agreement with the Home Office. It is right professional sportspersons below this standard should not be able to pursue such a career in the UK using our employment or study visa routes – including Tier 4.
Genuinely amateur players are already completely free to play sport on a purely amateur basis, whilst they are in the UK.